Ottawa — Ch. 46 Human Relations § 46-39
Unlawful real estate practices
Operative Text
It shall be an unlawful real estate practice for any real estate broker, salesman, or agent to: (1) Aid, abet, incite, or coerce a person to commit an unlawful real estate practice. (2) Deceive, exploit, cheat, or overcharge any person in a real property transaction in the city, or to make any distinction, discrimination or restriction against any person as to the conditions or privileges of any kind relating to the sale, rental, lease, or occupancy of any real property. (3) Deliberately and knowingly refuse examination of copies of any listing of real property in the city to any person because of unlawful discrimination. (4) Enter into a listing agreement which prohibits the inspection, sale, lease, or occupancy of real property to any person because of unlawful discrimination. (5) Knowingly and wilfully interfere with the performance of a duty or the exercise of a power by the commission or one of its members or representatives.
Ottawa Chapter 46, Section 46-39 identifies a set of real estate practices that are prohibited as unlawful. Under this provision, real estate brokers, salespeople, and agents are barred from helping others commit discriminatory acts, deceiving or overcharging parties in property transactions, withholding property listings based on discriminatory grounds, entering listing agreements that restrict access on discriminatory grounds, or obstructing the work of the relevant commission. The rule applies to sales, rentals, leases, and occupancy arrangements involving real property within the city.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Real estate professionals operating under Ottawa Ch. 46 § 46-39 are generally expected to maintain open, non-discriminatory access to listings and transaction terms for all prospective buyers, renters, and lessees. Compliant operators avoid entering into listing agreements that contain any restrictions tied to protected characteristics, and they refrain from any conduct that could be construed as aiding or coercing discriminatory practices by others. Operators also take care not to interfere with commission investigations or the exercise of commission authority under this section.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Ottawa Ch. 46 § 46-39 establishes rights for individuals who may have been subjected to deceptive, exploitative, or discriminatory conduct by a real estate broker, salesperson, or agent in a property transaction. If a person believes a broker withheld listings, imposed discriminatory conditions, or overcharged them on the basis of a protected characteristic, this provision may provide a basis for raising a complaint with the city's human relations commission. Tenant-rights organizations and legal aid resources can help individuals understand what documentation or steps are generally associated with pursuing a claim under this section.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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